Anger be now your song, immortal one,

Akhilleus' anger, doomed and ruinous,

that caused the Akhaians loss on bitter loss

and crowded brave souls into the undergloom,

leaving so many dead men--carrion

for dogs and birds; and the will of Zeus was done.

Begin it when the two men first contending

broke with one another--

				    the Lord Marshal

Agamémnon, Atreus' son, and Prince Akhilleus.



Among the gods, who brought this quarrel on?

The son of Zeus by Lêto. Agamémnon

angered him, so he made a burning wind

of plague rise in the army: rank and file

sickened and died for the ill their chief had done

in despising a man of prayer.